Door closer clip



Dec. 29, 1964 R. J. RUNNELS DOOR CLOSER CLIP Filed April 5, 1963 Fig.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ROBERT J.

fik 5 RUNNELS INYENTOR.

Atty.

Dec. 29, 1964 Filed April 5, 1963 R. J. RUNNELS DOOR CLOSER CLIP l I I7 20 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ROBE RT- J. RUNNELS INVENTOR.

$4Mr I8 Atty.

3,162,889 DOOR CLOSER CLIP Robert J. Runnels, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor t Dexter Industries, Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich. Filed Apr. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 270,911 3 Claims. (Ci. 16-66) This invention relates to the construction of the types of door-closing devices based upon the reciprocating movement of a rod. These are usually either hydraulic or pneumatic, and involve a piston rod moving with respect to a cylinder. The fluid contents of the cylinder function to control the rate of movement under the action of a spring system either in the cylinder itself, or incorporated in the mounting bracket. The forces generated by the spring are normally applied to close the door associated with the device.

It is common practice to use a holding clip on the piston rod to maintain the open position of the door. This clip is essentially a ring surrounding the rod, and which engages the end of the cylinder at a point eccentric with respect to the rod axis. This point of engagement is usually determined either by providing a side extension on the clip which extends axially somewhat, or by using an eccentric boss or projection on the end of the cylinder as an abutment. The eccentric forces produce a rotation of the clip on an axis perpendicular to that of the rod, and jam the clip against axial movement. This action is sufficient to block retraction of the rod at the selected clip position. The clip is often set when one wishes to carry an armful of objects into the house, and does not wish to bother with opening the door.

After the clip has performed its function, it is normally restored to the inactive position by moving the door open slightly, and manually slipping the clip along the rod to a point where the door can close fully without engaging the clip. This maneuver is sometimes diflicult when one is wearing gloves, and obviously requires a return to the door to attend to this detail. Applicant has provided a device for automatically moving the holding clip to inactive position simply in response to a slight push on the door to a more fully-opened position, with the added movement of the door being just sufficient to release the pressure between the end of the cylinder and the clip. Essentially, the performance of the device is based on the application of a continuing biasing force which is applied centrally on the clip, but of a sufiiciently weak nature to be readily overcome by the eccentric jamming forces. As soon as these jamming forces are released by a slight initial opening movement of the door, however, the light central biasing forces proceed to produce a smooth axial movement of the clip along the rod ahead of the cylinder as the door moves to the closed position. The details of the invention will be described more fully in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 presents a view in elevation of a conventional door closer, with the holding clip functioning to maintain the opened position of the door.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevation showing a portion of the piston rod and cylinder, and indicating the moment of release of the clip as the door is pushed a little further open.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional fragmentary view in elevation showing a modified form of the invention with regard to the nature of the source of the releasing forces.

FIGURE 4 illustrates .the normal closed-door positio of the device.

Referring first to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, the door-closing device includes a cylinder in which a piston rod 11 is mounted for reciprocating movement. The end 12 of the cylinder 10 is pivotally mounted on United States Patent 0 3,162,889 Patented Dec. 29, 1964 ice the bracket 13 secured to the structure 14 surrounding the door. The outer end of the piston rod 11 is pivotall attached to the bracket 15 mounted on the door 16. Opening and closing of the door results in reciprocation of the rod 11 within the cylinder 10, with retraction of the rod being associated with the closing of the door.

The door may be held in a fully or partially opened position by the use of the holding clip 17. This clip is essentially a washer surrounding the piston rod 11, with the extension 18 formed to engage the end 19 of the cylinder at a point eccentric from the axis of the rod 11.

If the clip 17 is placed in a particular position along the rod when the door is open, and the door is then released, the first engagement with the clip 17 with the end 19 of the cylinder takes place at the extension 18. The forces at this point result in the generation of a moment which rotates the clip on an axis perpendicular to that of the rod. A jamming action thus develops which prevents axial movement along the rod.

The helical release spring 20 is positioned around the rod, and between the clip 17 and the end 19 of the cylinder 10. In order for the clip to approach close enough to the end of the cylinder 19 for the extension 18 to engage, the spring 20 must be compressed. The forces involved in this compression are small with respect to the forces generated by the conventional biasing action of the spring system (not shown) contained within the cylinder 10. As soon as the door is pushed a little further open from the position shown in FIGURE 1, however,

' a quick snapping movement of the clip to the full limit of its freedom of movement along the rod 11. If this does not take place, the closing movement of the door will result in the end of the cylinder 19 pushing the spring 20 along the rod 11. The spring 20 therefore pushes the clip ahead of it as the closing of the door proceeds.

Referring to FIGURE 3, the principal point of difference between this figure and the showing of FIGURES 1 and 2 centers in the means for generating the release movement of the clip 17. The same clip can be used with the FIGURE 3 arrangement as with the structure of FIGURES 1 and 2. In place of the spring 20, however, a readily-compressable sponge rubber washer 21 is incorporated between the clip 17 and the end of the cylinder 19. The thickness of the washer 21 is selected so that it must be compressed slightly before the extension 18 can come into contact with the end 19 of the cylinder. The function of this structure is the same as that discussed in connection with FIGURE 1, and a slight opening movement of the door will result in the release of the forces applied to the extension 18, so that the resilience of compression of the washer 21 can move the clip 17 toward the bracket 15 without the generation of a jamming action. The setting of both the device shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 and that in FIGURE 3 requires that a slight degree of manual force be applied to the clip to set the open position of the door, and compress the resilient member enough to bring the extension 18 into engagement with the cylinder end 19.

The arrangement shown in FIGURE 4 is similar to that of FIGURES l and 2, with the closer device shown in the position corresponding to a fully closed door.

The particular embodiments of the present invention which have been illustrated and discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be considered as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims. In these claims, it is may intent to claim the entire invention disclosed hereinfexcept as I am limited by the prior art.

I claim:

1. In combination with a door closer having a cylinder member and a piston rod mounted for reciprocation through an end of said cylinder member, biasing means operative to retract said piston rod within said cylinder 'member, and a holding clip slidably mounted on said piston rod and engageable with said cylinder member eccentricaily to induce rotation of said clip with respect to said rod to jam said clip at a selected position to prevent retraction of said piston rod,

a releasing device comprising an axially compressible washer surrounding said shaft and interposed between said clip and the end of said cylinder member for transmission of axial forces from the end of said cylinder member to said clip at a central portion thereof, said spring washer being corrmressible to the point of the engagement of said clip with said cylinder member without equalling or exceeding the eifect of said biasing means.

2. In combination with a door closer having a cylinder member and a piston rod mounted for. reciprocation throughan end of said cylinder member, biasing means operative to retract said piston rod within saidrcylinder member, and a holding clip slidably mounted an said piston rod and engageable with said cylinder member eccentrically to induce rotation of said clip with respect to said rod to jam said clip at a selected position to prevent retraction of said piston rod,

a releasing device comprising a coil compression spring surrounding said shaft and interposed between said mission of axial forces from the end of said cylinder member to said clip at a central portion thereof, said spring being compressible to the point of the engagement of said clip with said cylinder, member without equalling or' exceeding the eficct of said biasing means. i a 3. Incombination with a door closer having a cylinder member and a piston rod mounted for reciprocation through an end of said cylinder member, biasing means operative to retract said piston rod Within said cylinder member, and a holding clip slidably mounted on said piston rod andengageable with said cylinder member- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,920,338 1/60 Falk 16-66 amazes I 5/62 Mallory l'6- 66 3,105,264 10/63 Truhon 16-66 DONLEY' r. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A DOOR CLOSER HAVING A CYLINDER MEMBER AND A PISTON ROD MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATION THROUGH AN END OF SAID CYLINDER MEMBER, BIASING MEANS OPERATIVE TO RETRACT SAID PISTON ROD WITHIN SAID CYLINDER MEMBER, AND A HOLDING CLIP SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID PISTON ROD AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID CYLINDER MEMBER ECCENTRICALLY TO INDUCE ROTATION OF SAID CLIP WITH RESPECT TO SAID ROD TO JAM SAID CLIP AT A SELECTED POSITION TO PREVENT RETRACTION OF SAID PISTON ROD, A RELEASING DEVICE COMPRISING AN AXIALLY COMPRESSIBLE WASHER SURROUNDING SAID SHAFT AND INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID CLIP AND THE END OF SAID CYLINDER MEMBER FOR TRANSMISSION OF AXIAL FORCES FROM THE END OF SAID CYLINDER MEMBER TO SAID CLIP AT A CENTRAL PORTION THEREOF, SAID SPRING WASHER BEING COMPRESSIBLE TO THE POINT OF THE ENGAGEMENT OF SAID CLIP WITH SAID CYLINDER MEMBER WITHOUT EQUALLING OR EXCEEDING THE EFFECT OF SAID BIASING MEANS. 